by Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 26/97) - To depict a disease whose numbers are growing among people of different gender, cultural background and lifestyle, the national theme of this year's AIDS Walk is "The changing face of AIDS."

It's a theme reflective of the North, AIDS Yellowknife chairman Robert Hay said.

In the North, the disease is more evenly distributed among men and women, native and non-native, homosexual and heterosexual, he said.

"Each time anyone has said it's someone's else's problem, they have been proved wrong."

Despite the changing face of AIDS, there is still a segment of Yellowknife's population that thinks AIDS is a gay man's disease, Hay said.

The fourth annual Yellowknife AIDS Walk is slated for Sunday, Sept. 28. Registration is at 12:30 p.m. at the Elks hall with the walk starting at 1:30 p.m. The walk also finishes at the Elks hall.

The walk tells people with HIV and their families that Yellowknife cares, Hay said.

"AIDS is a very isolating disease" and the walk "sends a message." The walk also tells people there is an AIDS service in town.

Last year, the walk raised $5,000 with about 200 participants, Hay said.

Donations are used locally. In its first year, $2,500 was raised.

AIDS Yellowknife is part of the Canadian Aids Society, an umbrella organization of community based AIDS groups.